Making a LOT of guitars, look cool

Armitage

Armitage

New member
Does anyone have any good ideas on how to make a lot of guitars look cool? I mean, I've been to guys houses and studios where they'll have one to three guitars up on a wall, maybe in an art niche (indent in the wall) with spot lights and such, and it looks like a million bucks, but once you get more then that... it starts to look, well not special. Like a cool picture of one car verses a parking lot.

I went to a local shop... this is what I don't want;

Wall1.jpg


This back wall looks a little better to me... but might look goofy if they're all different types and sizes of guitars.

Wall2.jpg


Or just a whole whack of String Swings (Internet photo)... but many of my guitars are Vs and Explorers, and I don't have that ceiling height so I could only do two rows tall...

WallOGuitars.jpg


And what about lighting? Florescent lights are a goofy color and have harmful UV rays that can bleach a guitar over time... incandescents may not be available in a few years, and halogen (will they still be available?) get hot, but look great, but I'm told you may need (wasn't sure) a special glass guard for UV too.

So what are you guys doing? Or any cool guitar shop photos?
 
Since you never do anything half-assed, i would suggest you go l.e.d. Though i have to admit, i am pretty sure there are no studies done yet that would let us know the effect of l.e.d. on guitar finishes.

i, personally, would do the 2x4 thing across the wall before mounting the hangers. so many holes in just sheet-rock would be way more unsafe than mounting the 2x4 to the studs and mounting the swingers to the 2x4.
 
i keep my guitars in the cases when im not playing them. maybe one, maximum two are out on the stand.

my reasoning is, if theres a fire and i can get everyone out, and go back in, i can just throw the cases out into the yard. 9 guitars hanging there just waiting for something to happen looks cool as fuck, especially the way i've seen some of you guys decorate them...but, i just wouldnt' feel safe hanging them all or standing them all.

personal preference i guess.
that being said, i'd go the led route if i had a choice.
 
I always thought it would be cool if there was a wall hanger, that had that black plastic guard lock thing found on so many floor stands, BUT with blue LEDs on each side, so it would illuminate the headstock and cast some light down the guitar.

I know you wouldn't be able to adore the finish, but it would look really BAD!!!

Other downside is that it would need quite a dark room for the effect to be apparent.
 
Beauty is in the details. Rather than trying to make all the guitars look cool, try to make each guitar look good, while making them all fit together. Kinda like an artist painting a face. They plan the layout, and then work on an ear or a nose. The more attention to each detail, the better the big picture will look.
 
Some.jpg


SomeMore.jpg


Right now I've got about 70 cramped into a spare room (only about 50 shown in the old photos above)... and it's a terror trying to get at most of them, and looks crappy.
 
I say put them on the wall like the last net photo. I personally used "off the wall" brand hangers (sturdier, used 3 bolts to mound them) and have a dozen on one wall. 2 rows but after seeing that picture and most of my guitars are strat shape I'm going to add a middle row. I used track lighting. Since I only have one room dedicated to music having the guitars off the floor saves a ton space for the amp wall that has 5 4x12'a 4 heads and a combo + ext cabs. The other wall is my Studio RTA desk and six guitar holder rack. I used to have them on guitar stands like you but those all went in the closets with cases :)
 
to the OP, are those pics you took, or just found online? I'm pretty sure that last pic is dave's guitar shop in lacrosse WI, one hell of a collection.

also I think the back wall pic with a bunch of different guitars would look great
 
The first two pix are from a local shop (as stated) and the third picture is off the internet somewhere (as stated).
 
cool I should have read better the first time

off topic, I'm 99% that 3rd pic is from Dave's guitar shop in LaCrosse, WI. you're looking at the upper level of the actual shop, and everything pictured is part of Dave's "collection." I don't think any of that gear is even for sale, and you are looking at 1/3 to 1/2 of it.
 
Armitage":k2r1w684 said:
WallOGuitars.jpg
Click to expand...

I dont think this is as tall as you think...he has the guitars overlapped quite a bit and they go all the way to the floor...I bet that is a standard ceiling height (7 1/2 - 8 feet??). Are you talking about displaying guitars in your house or in a shop??? As far as lighting, I would do the lights they use to display artwork....they have these little lights at my office on all the hanging art we have in the building, if they arent harmful to art then I doubt that its harmful to a hardened guitar finish....just my own assumption there...use incandescent lighting not fluorescent

http://blog.xslighting.com/events/the-d ... g-artwork/

There are great track lighting systems out there that can give you any look you can dream up
track-lighting.jpg


Also, I would group shaped guitars together vice scattering different type guitars everywhere.

I would SKIP the older Off the Wall hangers and get the newer ones that are soft. The old ones were made of metal and had a rubber coating and said they dont harm finishes...well my IRW neck has a spot that has been rubbed into a different shade from sitting on the hanger. The new ones are covered in a cushion of some sort like the ones on a Hercules hanger...I mean I REALLY like hte Off the Wall hangers...but hate the fact that they damaged 2 of my guitars...I take a microfiber cloth and cover the hangers now....

My ugly microfiber display..LOL...my ceilings are a standard height and you can EASILY fit another guitar underneath these so I could do the same display as the one you liked in that shop....heck you could do it with a 7ft ceiling if you really wanted...

DSC_4238-1.jpg
 
Armitage":35jpmr67 said:
Some.jpg


SomeMore.jpg


Right now I've got about 70 cramped into a spare room (only about 50 shown in the old photos above)... and it's a terror trying to get at most of them, and looks crappy.
Click to expand...


Can you let me know when you're on vacation next? :D Oh, and the code to your security system? :D ;)
 
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